Metallic frame



Jan. M, l%@ A. F. BOCK ET AL METALLIC FRAME Filed April 12, 1946INVENTUR AUGUST F BOCK AUGUST M- BOCK 7 BY I n AT OE EV Patented Jan,10, 1950 UNITED TA-res rAreurforrics;

August F. Bock and August M. Bock, Elkhart, In.

Application April 12, 1946, Serial No. 661,724

, 2,Claims. (Cl. 280-106) This invention relates to structural membersand more particularly to structural members that may be used in a motorvehicle chassis, but not necessarily limited to such use.

An object of this invention is to utilizea rolled tube in themanufacture of frames-such as a frame member for a chassis used invarious types of trailers and motor vehicles, wherein the strength ofthe frame is considerably increased over the strength of conventionalchassis frames used in the past while the net weight of the vehicle isconsiderably reduced.

Another object of this invention is to utilize a rolled full box formframe member in the construction of a chassis for a motor vehicle.

Another object of this invention is-to provide a rolled full box formframe member that is rolled from sheet metal having the edges abuttineach other along a side wherein the stresses are the least. l

Another object of this invention is to utilize a rolled full box formframe member wherein the material has been used to the greatestadvantage to resist the various stresses that may be set up in the framemember.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rolled full box formframe member having the seam along the bottom of the frame member, so asto provide drainage for moisture, condensation et cetera.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, thecombination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become moreapparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the chassisframe member incorporating the rolled full box form frame member.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the rolled full box formframe member shown in perspective.

The reference character iii indicates the main frame members of achassis. The front end of members lo may be deflected inwardly, so as toform a V-portion consisting of the portions I2. The frame members H3 areheld in spaced relation by a plurality of truss members it and IS. Thetruss member Hi is somewhat larger than the truss member it. These trussmembers are held parallel by spacer bars 5%. Near the rear axle theframe members to are reenforced by a transverse bar 25, having a crosssection identical to the frame member Ii! and a longitudinal center bar22, also identical in cross section to member ID. a Each of thelongitudinal frame members 1&3 is provided with a plurality of out:wardly directed supporting members 24, reen forced by braces 26. Each ofthe longitudinal frame members i B, the cross bars 20 and the cen terbar 22 constitute rolled full box form, made from sheet metal, providinga horizontal portion 30, as best seen in Figure 3, a pair of veriticalwall portions 82, extending at rightangles to the portion 3!], the Wallportions 32 terminating in reentrant flange portions 34 contacting eachother along a center line 36, welded 'at spaced intervals, as shownat33. The horizontal portion 39 has a width'less than the height of thewall portions 32.

It has been found that by using the rolled full box form members, muchlighter weight material may be used for the frame structure than hasbeen the customary practice in the past. This results in a light weightframemember. The side wall portions 32 are homogeneous throughout theheight of the wall, so that the maximum strength is obtained from thismetal. Furthermore, the top portion 30' is homogeneous throughout, inthat it has no seams and therefore it withstands horizontal loads.

The truss members M and it, in addition to holding the frame members isin spaced relation, give strength to the inside walls 32, so as toprevent buckling. The supporting members 24 and the braces 26 strengthenthe outside walls 32, so as to prevent buckling.

The seam 36, extending along the bottom, is in a portion of the framemember where the stresses are the least and therefore strength is not asessential in this portion of the bar as elsewhere. Furthermore, the seamextending along the bottom provides drainage for the rolled full boxform frame member, so that in the event moisture accumulates within theframe member, it readily drains through the seam.

Throughout the specification and claims, the portion 30 has beenreferred to as a top portion, the walls 32 as downwardly directedvertically disposed walls and the flanges 34 as reentrant flanges alongthe bottom. Obviously, for numerous purposes the portions 30 need not beat the top and the side walls need not necessarily be downwardlydirected, the choice of locations being dependent entirely upon the useto which the frame members are to be put. The designations used in thespecification and claims as far as top, side and bottom are concerned,are

not to be construed as a limitation; but merely for convenience inexpression.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, itwill be understood that within the purview of this invention variouschanges may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement ofparts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generallystated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects setforth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A frame structure for a chassis of a vehicle, said chassis includinga pair of rolled full box form frame members, each of said frame membersincluding a horizontal homogeneous top portion merging into a pair ofvertically disposed side walls homogeneous throughout the side walls,the depth of the side walls being greater than the width of the topportion, the side walls merging into a pair of reentrant flangesabutting each other to form a longitudinal seam in the bottom of therolled frame members, said flanges being welded together at spacedintervals, a plurality of members spanning the distance between theframe members for holding the frame members in fixed spaced relationfrom each other, said spanning members reenforcing the adjacent sidewalls of the frame members so as to prevent buckling thereof, each ofsaid spanning members including a top portion and a bottom portion heldin fixed spaced relation by spacer members so as to form a trusslikestructure, extensions projecting outwardly from the box frame membersand aligned with the spanning members, each of said extensions includinga horizontally disposed top member and an inclined bottom member mergingwith the outer end of the top member to form a substantially triangularshaped structure, a transverse bar member having a cross sectionsubstantially identical to the cross section of the box frame members,said transverse member extending between the frame members and betweentwo of the spanning. members, and a longitudinally extending center barconnecting two of the spanning members and intersecting the transversebar.

2. A frame structure for a chassis of a vehicle, said chassis includinga pair of rolled full box form frame members, each of said frame membersincluding a horizontal homogeneous top portion merging into a pair ofvertically disposed side walls homogeneous throughout the side walls,the depth of the side walls being greater than the width of the topportion, the side walls merging into a pair of reentrant flangesabutting each other to form a longitudinal seam in the bottom of therolled frame members, said flanges being welded together at spacedintervals, a plurality of members spanning the distance between theframe members for holding the frame members in fixed spaced relationfrom each other, said spanning members reenforcing the adjacent sidewalls of the frame members so as to prevent buckling thereof, each ofsaid spanning members including a top portion and a bottom portion heldin fixed spaced relation by spacer members so as to form a trusslikestructure, a transverse bar member having a cross section substantiallyidentical to the cross section of the box frame members, said transversemember extending between the frame members and between two of thespanning members, and a longitudinally extending center bar connectingtwo of the spanning members and intersecting the transverse bar.

AUGUST F. BOCK.

AUGUST M. BOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,081,942 Beach Dec. 23, 19131,723,518 Murray, Jr. Aug. 6, 1929 1,846,567 Murray, Jr. Feb. 23, 19322,077,454 Almdale Apr. 20, 193'? 2,105,713 Werdehofi Jan. 18, 19382,155,876 Stout Apr. 25, 1939 2,173,525 Wallace Sept. 19, 1939

